Should Video Games be Boycotted or not

"Games" by Ian D is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

At present, video games continue to be popular and attract many teenagers to participate. Because video games use digital devices as props, they can allow players to escape from real life and fully immerse themselves in interacting with simulated objects on the Internet or virtual things, which has caused some negative effects. In this regard, some parents began to resist, thinking that playing games is harmful rather than beneficial. However, at the same time, there are some people who stand up and say that the benefits of video games should not be underestimated. They even think that the game should not be boycotted, but should be promoted

Video games can have cognitive and social benefits for players. They can improve problem-solving skills, enhance memory and attention, encourage teamwork and cooperation, and improve communication skills. These skills can be beneficial in real-life situations, such as in school or at work. Acquiring problem-solving skills is the most recognized benefit players gain or learn from playing video games. Furthermore, unlike other tasks or exercises that can improve solving problems, the challenges given by the game will be more diversified. "Games are often composed of poorly defined problems, which encapsulate overlapping, well-defined problems, making the game's solution more meaningful" (Squire, academia.edu). Unlike well-defined problems that have a clear initial state and Goal states, ambiguously defined problems are hard to define and solve. Players need to keep trying to find a solution to the problem. Additionally, game researcher, Kurt Squire (2004) states that the problem-solving process in games drives recursive loops, including the following steps: "find causal relationships between events, brainstorm possible solutions, implement that solution, verify results, Repeat again." Game playing is a behavioral activity that develops skills in order to overcome challenges, so playing a game is fundamentally a learning experience.

However, there are also health risks associated with playing video games. Excessive gameplay can lead to physical problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and obesity, as well as mental health issues such as addiction and depression. Additionally, video games that feature violent content can desensitize players to violence and increase aggression. Fenghuang.com once published a news on May 24, 2011: "Under extreme boredom, three technical secondary school students chose to imitate the plot of the violent game they played, and went out with sticks to beat those who had never met them. The court believes that they have constituted the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble, and should be punished according to law.” This example is a relatively common and serious problem of game addiction and feedback to society. As another example, Fenghuang.com published a news article and accompanying photos on the Internet on April 28, 2019, with the title "Sudden Death of a Man Playing Online Games Continuously for 23 Hours". Its content is roughly as follows: "A Taiwanese man died suddenly after playing online games for 23 hours in an Internet cafe. After death, he still maintained the posture of playing games." Like this case, excessive investment of time and energy will cause health damage, even life is threatened, and I have to ask, what is there in the game that allows people to invest in it without restriction regardless of the most basic desire for survival?

When it comes to whether or not video games should be supported or boycotted, there are arguments to be made on both sides. Those who support video games argue that it is up to individual players and their parents to take responsibility for the content they consume. Parents often think that video games are the culprit for their children's difficulties. All because of the temptation of the game, the children cannot focus on learning. However, in fact, the reason why most children do not focus on learning are not to play games, but to hate learning. Most children who do not like learning will still try to escape from learning even without video games. What's more, many parents have stated that their children can maintain a good results even on the basis of adding to video games. "The King of Gaming" doesn't necessarily have bad grades. Xia Cuicui, a full-time psychological teacher at the Student Psychological Counseling and Service Center of Beijing Normal University, wrote WHAT SHOULD PARENTS DO WHEN CHILDREN PLAY GAMES? The book talks about such a case: Xiao Fei, a sophomore in high school, has good academic performance. After entering high school, he became obsessed with a game. His parents were very worried. They always wanted to prevent Xiao Fei from playing games by affecting his studies, but they were usually blocked by their child who argued: "It won't affect my studies. I will still study hard in class. I understand what the teacher says a lot of the time, so don't worry!" After one semester, her grades remained the same as before, ranking among the top ten in the grade.

On the other hand, those who advocate for boycotting video games argue that they have a negative effect on society as a whole. They point out that violent video games can contribute to a culture of violence and that video game companies should take responsibility for the content they produce. One example of a comparison that creates a negative impression on society is inducing students to commit crimes. When students are addicted to video games and can't keep up with their pocket money, they will develop into lying, defrauding parents, and even extorting money from younger students. It eventually develops into stealing, weariness of studying, fraud, and even running away from home. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that some computer online games are no less harmful to students than drugs. People compare them to "electronic heroin," which is the spiritual opium that poisons young people, and is the chief culprit that harms young people's bodies and minds.

When it comes to video games, it is always associated with negative news such as video game addiction. Although video games have disadvantages, as a tool for human leisure and relaxation, they also bring an extremely pleasant and relaxing sensory experience to people's body and mind. On the one hand, the prohibited argument claims that the addiction of video games is a very serious problem, and resistance or restricting video games is the only way to reduce this phenomenon. On the other hand, people who support video games argue that video games still have a lot of benefits. In addition, the party argues that most of the reasons for being poisoned by video game poisoning are not on video games, but in individuals. They believe that we should look at the impact of video games on us objectively and fairly, take the essence, and give full play to the positive value and educational significance of games. In conclusion, video games have both advantages and disadvantages, and whether or not they should be supported or boycotted is a complex issue.

Work Cited

Belanger, Craig, and Geraldine Wagner. “Video Games: Overview.” Points of View: Video Games, June 2021, pp. 1–3. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=pwh&AN=28675348&site=pov-live.

Issitt, Micah and Walker, Katherine. “Point: Video Games Should Be Celebrated and Improved, Not Censored.” Points of View: Video Games. June 2021, pp. 1-4. 4p. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/pov/command/detail?vid=3&sid=8ed3b99e-382f-4d99-96b2-d7f6b2076ce0%40redis

Li, YiFeng. “Sudden Death of a Man Playing Online Games Continuously for 23 Hours.” IFENG.COM, 28 Apr. 2019, https://ishare.ifeng.com/hotNewsRank.

Squire, Kurt. “Video Games in Education.” Int. J. Intell. Games & Simulation, Citeseer, 5 June 2014, https://www.academia.edu/1317070/Video_games_in_education.

Xia, cuicui, and Shen zi Jiao. Hai Zi Wan You Xi,Fu Mu Zen Me Ban: Bie Rang You Xi Hui Le Hai Zi Yi Sheng. Peking University Press, 2018.